Hand planter



Samos OCE. 24, 1944. B, BAER HAND PLANTER Filed OCT.. 24, 1941 20 zzir/ aer Patented Oct. 24, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT4 `OFFICE HAND PLANTER. Buiri Baer, Whittaker, Mich.. l Application October 24, 1941, Serial No. 416,403

1 Claim.

This invention relates to portable hand-operated seed planters, and is more particularly concerned with a planter of this type in which fertilizer is supplied to the soil concurrently with the planting of the seed.

For many years, portable hand-operated seed planters have been Widely used. Generally speaking, such devices consist of a seed chute or hopper provided at one end with means, such as a, shovel, for opening the soil and dispensing seed beneath the surface thereof. Ordinarily, the chute or hopper is provided with a handle so that the operator may carry the device and may jab the -shovel portion into the cultivated soil. Once the soil has been penetrated, some means is actuated for releasing the seed. After this is done, the shovel is removed from the soil and the operator proceeds to the next planting location.

From the foregoing outline, it can be seen that seed planters of the hand type are of simple construction and may be operated with such ease as to render them susceptible to a wide-spread use. Despite this fact, it is frequently found desirable to inject into the soil at thel time of planting a dry fertilizer of any commercial type and the conventional hand planter in unmodified form is Wholly lacking in facilities for performing this function.

It has been proposed toeffect the application of fertilizer to the soil concurrently with the injection of the seed therein by the .use of a number of expedient-s including: manually dispensing fertilizer in the soil while the shovel of the planter is in position, the application of the fertilizer being a separate operation; admixing fertilizer with the seed in the hopper, and providing the portable planter with an additional hopper adapted to contain fertilizer. Each of these expedients is open to objection. If the fertilizer is applied separately from the injection of the shovel of the planter in the soil, the soil enriching material will be disposed near the surface of the soil at a point substantially above the seed and, consequently, above the level of the roots Which will ultimately spring therefrom. This is inefficient from the standpoint of plant nourishment and further objectionable because a fertilizer dispenser of some type must beseparatel carried by the operator.

Admixture of the fertilizer With the seed is equally unsatisfactory. The grain -sizes of the seed and fertilizer, as well as their relative weights, are such that the amount of fertilizer per seed is subject to wide variation with incident burning of some portions of the planted area while other portions remain unfertilized.

Probably the best of the proposals heretofore made for the introducion of fertilizer to the soil concurrently with the planting of seed therein is the Vscheme which involves the use of a separate hopper attached to the hand planter. This arrangement generally results in a satisfactory introduction of fertilizer into the soil, but the provision of an additional hopper renders the planting device so cumbersome and so heavy as to preclude its wide-spread use, operator fatigue being aiserious item.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to overcome all of the foregoing disadvantages and to provide for the concurrent planting of seeds and distribution of fertilizer adjacent the same in a manner which is both convenient for the operator and satisfactory from the plant husbandry standpoint.

According to this invention, it is contemplated that seeds may be disposed beneath the surface of soil by the use of a hand-operated portable planting' Vdevice while fertilizer may be discharged either above or below the seeds as the particular agricultural exigency may require.

It is an object of this invention to provide for the association of a hand planter and a, fertilizer dispenser in such a Way that the Weight of fertilizer may be readily borne by the operator While the dispensing of both the seeds and the fertilizer may be expeditiously accomplished.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an economical, easily constructed seed planter and fertilizer applicator, the dispensing functions and transportation of which may be effected by the use of but a single hand of the operator.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof in conjunction with the annexed drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a View in side elevation of a preferred form of a hand planting device with fertilizer attachment constructed according to this invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional View of the lower portion Iof the planter shown in Figure 1 illustrating the manner of opening the -seed chute while the shovel is inlthe ground; and

Figure 3 is `a fragmentary viewv in elevation showing the foot step used in inserting the shovel in the ground. f

The hand planter illustrated in the drawing consists of a seed chute I provided at its upper end with a lifting handle II which is reinforced by an angle-iron I2 extending from the end of the handle to the surface of the chute below the point of attachment of lthe handle. The end of the seed chute I0 remote from the point of attachment of handle II constitutes a discharge opening. An annular collar I3 surrounds this opening and a shovel I4, having a sharpened point for insertion in the soil, depends therefrom in registry with the opening. Pivoted to shovel I4 is a closing plate I5. Closing plate I5 is provided with round openings on either side and bolts at I6 are passed through these openings and through elongated registering slots .Il in shovel I4. Thus, in addition to pivotal` movement, closing plate I is likewise vertically movable with respect to shovel I4. This movement is of importance in connection with interior studs I8 on closing plate I5 adapted for use with a shoulder I9 of shovel I4. Thus, in the position of Figure 1, studs .I8 lock `shovel I4 and closing plate I5 against pivotal movement about bolts I6. Hence, if the receptacle defined between shovel I4 and closing plate ,I5 is charged with seeds or fertilizer, accidental discharge cannot occur. Closing plate I5 is=provided with an outwardly extending ground surface contacting member 20, aA portion 2I of which is arcuate. Extendingfrom shovel I4 at a point about 90 awayfrom member is a foot step 22 which is used by the Aoperator in inserting shovel I4 into the soil. This step, although shown as extending fromv the left side of the apparatus, may, if deemed convenient, be disposed on theright side for operation by the other foot. 1

About midway of the seed chute I0 a conduit 23 is attached thereto, this conduit leading into the seed chute through an aperture at 24. Feed chute 23 is provided with a measuring valve 25 Vadapted to control the amount of material passed through the conduit and hence into the seed chute. Valve 25 is mounted between plates 26 and is arranged for pivotal movement aboutv a pin 21. Valve 25 is provided with a shank portion 28 to which is pivotally connected a rod 29 which extends upwardly through an aperture in the lower shank of angle-iron I2, the configuration of the rod 29 above the point of passage through said shank of angle-iron I2 being that of a reversed C so that the end of the rod lies parallel, gripping handle II. Intermediate the lower arm of angle-iron .I2 and the point of attachment to arm 28, rod 29 is provided with a nut 30. VBetween nut 30 and the lower arm of angle-iron I2 a coil spring 3| is provided, this spring normally acting on nutr30 to bias the measuring valve to the position shown in Figure 1. The portion of rod 29 which extends parallel to handle II, however, may be gripped by the hand of the operay tor and drawn toward handle I I This causes rod 29 to move vertically upward to bias measuring valve 25 to the position of Figure 2. vThe measuring valve is filled with material to be discharged through a flexible conduit 32 attached by ring 33r r to the end of Vconduit 23 remote from the point of discharge 24. The other end of flexibleV conduit 32 is connectedvto a fertilizer sack 34 of canvas or other material. Thissack is provided with straps 35 so that the same may be conveniently1 carried on the shoulders of the operator.

When the device just described isto be put into operation, the operator lls sack 34 with afertilizer appropriate to the particular soil in question and the particular type of seeds to be planted. Thereafter the sack is suitably attached by straps 35 to the shoulders of the operator for support thereby. The planter itself is carried by handle I I, while the other hand may be free for transporting a bucket or sack of seeds, particularly in the case of cut seed potatoes. The soil, prior to planting is, of course, cultivated and the planting operation is commenced by dropping a seed or seeds into the chute I0. Because of covering member I5, the seed will lodge near the end of shovel member I4 as can be readily seen from Figure l. Prior or subsequent to placing the seed near the discharge end of the chute, a predetermined bulk of fertilizer may be inserted in the seed chute. This is done by gripping handle II and the free end of rod 29 to draw the latter toward the former one or more times. Fertilizer in predetermined amounts will then be dispensed into a position either above or below the seed depending upon the time ofr actuation of valve 29.

Thereafter, the operator still gripping handle I I,

jabs shovel I4 into the ground, using step 22 to apply the necessary force. During this operation, closing plate I 5 is kept in closed position by studs f8. When the shovel and cover plate have been inserted a suiiicient distance into the ground the entire chute I0 is swung `forward from the operator from the position shown in Figure 1 to the position shown in Figure 2. As this occurs, member 20 strikes the surface of the, soil and causes bolts I6 to slide upwardly in `slot Il of shovel I4. Thus, pins are located above the edge of shoulder I9 of shovel I4 so Ythat plate I5 may swing freely about bolts I6 as an axis. Themovement is stopped by studs I8 striking against the upper edge of shovel I4 (see Figure 2). Of course, when cover plate I5 and shovel I4 are in the position of Figure 2, all of the material, seeds and fertilizer is discharged into the earth. The entire apparatus is then lifted upwardly and the opera,-

- tion repeated at the next planting zone.

Having now described in detail a preferred type of hand planting device constructed according to this invention, it is understood that variations may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

Y A fertilizer dispenser for use with a planting device of the'V type used inplanting seed potatoes l and the like, including a seed chute, pivoted jaws constituting a soil penetrating digging element connected at one end of said seed chute, said jaws being normally closed and in that position normally closing olf one end of said chute, abandle attached adjacent the other end of said chute, means for opening said jaws in sub-soil surface position, a rigid fertilizer conduit connectedto said chute, one end of said rigid conduit discharging into the chute, a flexible conduit attached to the other end thereof, a fertilizer'container connected to the free end of said flexible conduit, said container being adapted to be supported by the body of the operator, a normally closed measuring valve disposed in the first-named conduit, and means adjacent the handle of the chute for actuating said'measuring valve V independently of said pivoted jaws, Ywhereby fertilizer may be discharged in any desired relationship with respect tothe seed. I

' BUIRL BAER.. 

